Summary of

Federal Railroad Administration

Provisions

The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) mission is to ensure the safe, reliable, and efficient rail 

transportation of people and goods for a strong America, now and in the future. Unfortunately, the 

growth of our economy and population is outpacing our level of investment in the nation’s surface 

transportation infrastructure, creating a situation that, if left unresolved, could leave us less 

competitive and failing to meet the needs of the traveling public. As the investment gap for rail has 

been even more pronounced in recent decades, FRA is focused on strategically maintaining current 

rail services and infrastructure, expanding and improving the rail network to accommodate growing 

travel and freight demand, and providing leadership in national and regional system planning and 

development.

The GROW AMERICA Act supports this mission with predictable, dedicated investments that enhance 

safety and modernize our rail infrastructure to meet growing market demand, while promoting 

innovation and ensuring transparency and accountability. The Act will invest $19 billion over four 

years to improve rail safety and invest in a National High-Performance Rail System, as states and local

communities need the certainty of sustained funding to make the transportation investments 

necessary to improve our infrastructure and support our economic growth. The Act also builds on 

current investments to vastly improve the system in areas ranging from Positive Train Control (PTC) 

implementation to enhancing flexibility in financing programs that will better enable the 

rehabilitation of aging infrastructure. 

New Programs

Establishes New Amtrak Grants: Over many years, existing capital and operating programs have 

focused on maintaining the legacy rail system on an annual basis. The GROW AMERICA Act will 

establish the Current Passenger Rail Service grant program to provide a longer-term view toward 

ensuring existing passenger rail assets and services are maintained in good, working condition. The 

grants will be oriented around Amtrak’s main business lines, including the Northeast Corridor, State 

Corridors, Long-Distance Routes, and National Assets. (Section 9102) 

Establishes Rail Service Improvement Program: Ridership on passenger rail is at an all-time high--

last year a record 31.6 million passengers travelled on Amtrak. As the nation’s population is set grow 

by 100 million people by the year 2050, getting to a destination safely and without delay will become 

all the more critical. The GROW AMERICA Act will establish the Rail Service Improvement Program,

which will provide competitive grants to drive development of high-performing passenger rail 

networks. This will include funding for the implementation of PTC— technology designed to stop 

trains to avert collisions— for commuter railroads, support for the mitigation of adverse impacts 

associated with rail operations in local communities, upgrades for short-line freight operations, and 

local and regional planning efforts. (Section 9102)

Forges New Partnerships through Regional Rail Development Authorities (RRDA): The nation 

requires seamless, intermodal transportation networks in order to move people and goods efficiently 

and effectively—and achieving that goal requires improved transportation-related coordination 

among federal, state, and local entities. To achieve these goals, the GROW AMERICA Act will 

authorize DOT to establish RRDAs in consultation with state governors. RRDAs will have the power to 

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plan for and undertake regional corridor development activities and be an eligible recipient of certain 

grants. (Section 9201) 

Changes to Existing Programs

Enhances the RRIF Program: The RRIF program makes financing available to acquire, improve,

rehabilitate intermodal or rail equipment or facilities, refinance outstanding debt, or develop or 

establish new intermodal or railroad facilities. In an effort to make Railroad Rehabilitation and 

Improvement Financing (RRIF) more accessible to regional and short line railroads, the GROW 

AMERICA Act enhances the program by allowing FRA to subsidize some of the costs of these loans to 

borrowers. (Section 1403)

Revamps Amtrak Business and Capital Planning: In addition to restructuring Amtrak funding around 

lines of business, the GROW AMERICA Act requires Amtrak to engage in annual five-year operating 

and capital planning to focus on the long-term needs of its business lines. These plans will be 

developed with close FRA coordination, and will directly inform annual budget requests. Capital asset 

plans will describe investment priorities and implementation strategies and identify specific projects 

to address the backlog of state-of-good-repair needs, recapitalization/ongoing maintenance needs, 

upgrades to support service enhancements, and business initiatives with a defined return on 

investment. (Section 9103)

Advances Safety Research: Building on previous successes in safety risk reduction and improved 

safety culture, the GROW AMERICA Act authorizes additional funding for research and development 

projects. The funds will also be used to increase the domestic content of new rail vehicles and allow 

their safety performance to be tested at FRA’s facility. The funds will also expand research programs 

at universities, which will help address the urgent industry-wide need for qualified railroad 

professionals. (Section 9105) 

Strengthens National, Regional, and State Plans: The GROW AMERICA Act further defines and 

provides requirements for a National Rail Development Plan and Regional Rail Development Plans. 

These plans are necessary to provide a long-range blueprint for proceeding with passenger and 

freight rail investments in a market-based, cost-effective manner. In addition, the Act revises the 

state rail plan requirements from previous legislation. (Sections 9301, 9302)

Implements Positive Train Control: To fully implement PTC, the backbone of the next generation of 

rail safety, the GROW AMERICA Act establishes clear milestones for PTC implementation, allows for 

the discretion to provide extensions beyond the current statutory implementation deadline of 

December 31, 2015, and assists publicly-funded commuter rail agencies to implement PTC systems, 

by providing $2.3 billion over four years for commuter railroads to support integration. (Section 9402) 

Reforms Hours of Service Rules and Mitigates Noise Emissions: To improve the predictability of work 

schedules for railroad operating employees and prevent operator fatigue, the GROW AMERICA Act

grants FRA full rulemaking authority to replace outdated hours-of-service laws with scientificallybased regulations. (Section 9403) Further, the Act grants FRA the authority to regulate noise 

emissions, currently a patchwork of incompatible standards, in conjunction with the Environmental 

Protection Agency. (Section 9407)

GROW AMERICA Act